At the Close
by Xirysa
Summary: Post FE7. He wants her to fly.


**Xirysa Says:** Inspired by random thought processes and various support conversations. I'm rather pleased with this, actually, even though I wrote it really, really quickly and didn't bother to go through and edit it. Enjoy.

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At the Close

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They sit side by side on the grassy hillside, letting the peace of the twilight wash over them. It is rare for them to be alone together like this after so long, and so they relish their time together. He wishes, not for the first or tenth or thousandth time, to simply freeze the moment, and his chest constricts because he knows that they can no longer be the way they once were.

He watches her silently. The wind plays with her hair, and the light of the setting sun paints her image bloody and bright. She is so beautiful, and yet there is something incredibly melancholy about her it makes him feel helpless; he doesn't know what to do.

She turns her face towards him, a small smile on her lips, and his heart aches because he cannot believe how lonely it seems.

"I don't know if I can do this," she says as her hand subconsciously covers the small bulge of her belly, barely noticeable beneath her dress, as if protecting it from harm. "They expect so much of me, and I want to please them, but I can only do so much." She closes her eyes. "I am tired."

He remains silent. What can he say to her, after all?

She looks at the sky and raises her hand towards it, fingers outstretched, yearning, and with a start he realizes that he wants her to fly again. Away from the ties of the earth and to the freedom of the skies and clouds. It would make her smile, he knows, and oh! He has always loved her smile.

Her voice carries him away from his thoughts of _if_ and back to the presence of _now_. "Perhaps," she muses, turning her face back towards the setting sun, "I should run away."

The dying light of the sun is pleasant and warm across his back; he can feel it soak into his bones as he contemplates her words. If they were to run away—for there is no doubt in his mind that they would go together—would she truly be happy?

She laughs quietly. It sounds strained. "What am I talking about?" she asks. "I am the wife of a marquess, I have duties to tend to." She turns to him. "And if I were to run away, who would care for you? You're not young anymore."

He snorts; he is perfectly capable of fending for himself.

"You're right, you're right," she giggles, "my apologies." She sighs. A few minutes pass before she speaks again. "I suppose I should thank you, though. Were it not for you, we wouldn't be here," she makes a great, general sweep of her arm, "today."

He nods in acknowledgement and turns his face towards the sunset. It is almost dark now, he realizes, and soon they will not be able find their way back. Ignoring the cracking and popping of old bones and joints he stands up, and she soon follows.

"We really should be getting back now," she says quietly, "otherwise Hector will worry, and Serra will be after me, heckling me again and again about this and that and how a proper lady should act." She pats his nose affectionately. "At least you listen and don't care about things like that. And you don't gossip, either."

Slowly, as if reluctant to leave the hillside, she turns around and starts up the path, towards the cold stone castle that looms above the hilltop. He follows, stretching and folding his wings now and again so that the feathers don't get rumpled.

As they near the stables, her gait becomes slower, and he adjusts his so that they are walking side by side at a comfortable pace, just as old comrades and friends do. The stable boys have prepared everything for their returns, and she watches quietly as he is fed, watered, brushed and led into his stall.

She waits until the last boy has left and then reaches over the gate of the stall, rubbing his neck with one warm hand and feeding him a sugar cube with the other.

"Sleep well, Huey."

Then the warmth is gone, and he finds himself alone in darkness.

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**Xirysa Says:** Animals know a lot more than they let on, you know. Comments and opinions are appreciated. Thanks for reading!


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